Kathirikai mochai curry recipe | Brinjal recipes

I have tried this combo only once in some restaurant by chance, it wasn’t that good, but I thought I should make at home, it would be tasting great. But never had a chance to buy mochai in little India as I go only to Mustafa and come back. Luckily murugan traders opposite to mustafa these days sells all the things I miss and mochai is one of those. I got last week and tried this curry. I think this is end of mochai season, so the mochai are tiny.
Since I have not tried this before, I checked with my friend Sasi for the recipe, she immediately shared (thank you Sasi)and I immediately tried too. I had this for today’s lunch.

Kathiriakai mochai curry recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Indian  |  Recipe Category: Lunch side
Prep Time:15 mins    |  Cook time: 20 mins     |  serves: 4

Ingredients

Brinjal – 8

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Mochai – 3/4 cup

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Onion – 1

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Tomato – 2

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Garlic – 6 flakes

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Tamarind – 1 tsp tightly packed

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Sambar powder – 2 tsp

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Turmeric – 1/4 tsp

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Salt – As needed

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Oil – 2 tblsp

To grind

Grated coconut – 3 tblsp

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Fennel seeds – 1/2 tsp

To temper

Oil – 2 tsp

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Mustard – 3/4 tsp

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Jeera/ cumin seeds – 1 tsp

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Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Method

1. Finely chop onion, tomato, slice garlic into thin circles and cur brinjal to 4-6 pieces, keep it immersed in water until use.
2. Pressure cook mochai with little salt and turmeric for 2 whistles. I used fresh ones, if dry beans, then soak over night and pressure cook for 4-5 whistles. Heat a kadai with oil, temper with mustard, jeera, curry leaves, followed by garlic.

3. Give it a fry and add onion. Fry till transparent, add tomatoes, little salt and fry till mushy.

4. Meanwhile grind coconut and fennel with little water.

5. Add 1/2 cup water, brinjal, sambar powder, turmeric, required salt and tamarind extract to the kadai. Mix and boil for a minute. Add the ground paste, mix well.

6. Boil until water evaporates. Put flame to medium and cook until the curry becomes almost dry. Add oil to avoid sticking to the pan. Keep stirring now and then to prevent sticking.

Notes

• After you add the ground coconut paste, it tends to stick so turn once in a while. but as it gets cooked, it will not stick, so add oil and cook.
• Do not add more water, it will make brinjal mushy.

Serve with any kuzhambu or you can also mix with rice as I do with sesame oil.

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